The offshore wind energy bids have been invited through the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI)

The building of 4 GW of wind energy projects off the coast of Tamil Nadu will begin with the opening of bids, as stated by the Indian government. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) revealed that open access worldwide competitive bidding is being used to request bids for four blocks, each totaling one gigawatt. Under the open access policy, developers that win the bids for each block will be tasked with building 1 GW of offshore wind generating capacity, with the option to sell power to customers directly.

The MNRE made it clear that the open access bids will not include any Viability Gap Funding (VGF). The plan is to sell the produced renewable energy to businesses that are presently in the high tariff band, like industries. Compared to onshore wind turbines, offshore wind turbines have a greater capacity utilisation function (CUF) and may overcome land availability restrictions, among other notable benefits.

Drawing attention to the effectiveness of offshore wind turbines, the ministry emphasised the advantages of this strategy, especially with regard to land availability and operating efficiency. After obtaining the required environmental permits, the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) facilitates the bidding process. This action further advances India’s sustainable energy goals and is in line with the government’s commitment to boosting renewable energy programmes.